ITV Britain's Got Talent finalist completely unrecognisable 14 years after first audition

Britain's Got Talent has been the stage for numerous unforgettable auditions, but a young contestant in 2011 truly left a mark on the judges.

At the age 12, Ronan Parke wowed the judges and audience with his stunning rendition of Nina Simone's Feeling Good.

His phenomenal voice earned him a standing ovation, leaving both the audience and judges spellbound as his emotional mum watched from backstage alongside Ant and Dec.

Despite being tipped by bookmakers to win, Ronan was ultimately beaten by Scottish singer Jai McDowall. Nevertheless, his Britain's Got Talent stint catapulted him into the music industry, leading to a record deal with Sony Music.

His debut album, released in 2011, made it to number 22 in the charts, and he later released a Christmas single and a charity track supporting anti-bullying in 2012.

Fast forward to today, and Ronan, now 26, is almost unrecognisable and has stepped out of the limelight, opting for a career in hospitality.

The Norfolk-born star gives fans a glimpse into his life on social media, from nights out in London with friends to trips abroad.

He now slicks his blonde locks back and often flaunts his fashion sense, posting stylish snaps for his 49,000 Instagram followers.

Ronan continues to nurture his passion for singing, having performed at London Pride in 2019. Looking back at his time on the show, Ronan opened up about the struggles he faced dealing with online abuse regarding his sexuality.

Reflecting on his experience in a past interview, he said: "I look back at it in different ways. It was mostly a positive experience, but there were certain things that happened when I was young that I could look back and say, 'Oh, I was too young to do that.'

"Being on social media was difficult. I was 12 and people were saying this really negative stuff, and it was always about sexuality, always."

Ronan added: "I'd never spoken about it – I was really young, there was no need to. But it was nearly always about that and that was difficult to deal with."

Just before Ronan competed in the semi-finals, an alleged Syco employee published a blog insinuating the contest was rigged in Ronan's favour.

The blogger, purporting to be from Sony Music, claimed Ronan's "development" had been artificially crafted, including his hairstyle, wardrobe, and gestures.

However, Simon Cowell shut down the rumours, declaring: "There has been an allegation made on the internet that Ronan Parke had a previous recording contract with my record label and that I'd met him beforehand. Both are complete and utter lies.

"The first time I met Ronan was on this show. He entered the show of his own accord. He's just 12 years old and this is a deliberate smear campaign."

The music mogul added: "It is my job to make sure this liar is exposed and this kid is treated in the same way as everyone else. The public are going to decide this competition."

A source from BGT voiced their disgust, stating: "It's sickening. A 12-year-old boy hoping to fulfil his dreams is being viciously attacked by someone who won't even reveal his name. Simon wants this liar found. There are lots of people in the industry who are very jealous of Simon's success."

Meanwhile, Ronan himself slammed the "silly" rumours clarifying: "I have not been coached by anyone to do with Simon. I have never met Simon in my life. I'd love to, but I never have."